BRITAIN is set to bake in the longest heatwave since the drought of 1976 – raising fears of a hosepipe ban within days. Suppliers were last night urging people to use water wisely or face a ban this week.

United Utilities, which supplies water to north-west England, warned that it was experiencing record levels of demand.

A spokeswoman said: “Unfortunately, if demand continues at this level, we will consider imposing a formal hosepipe ban.” As the first ban hit customers in Northern Ireland last Friday, water bosses said demand was outstripping supply, leaving it with no other option.

Elsewhere, consumers are being urged to reduce the amount of “precious” water they use. The heatwave has put a strain on water companies pumping millions of gallons into their systems.

People have been told to shower for only four minutes, let lawns turn brown and wait for the heatwave to end before they wash their cars.

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The over-65s, young children and those with heart and lung conditions can all find normal activities a strain when temperatures get this high

Public Health England

Industry body Water UK warned companies were seeing “extremely high levels of demand”, Thames Water has ramped up its supply and Severn Trent Water asked people to avoid using sprinklers or hosepipes.

The Met Office’s heat-health watch alert remained at level two last night, meaning social and health services are ready to combat the effects of a potential heatwave.

Public Health England warned that the extreme heat may pose a risk to the most vulnerable who can “struggle to cope”.

It said: “The over-65s, young children and those with heart and lung conditions can all find normal activities a strain when temperatures get this high.”

Empty reservoirs could lead to a hosepipe ban (Image: GETTY)

The rising temperatures have also prompted warnings to be careful near water and in the countryside, where crews have been tackling wildfires.

And the RNLI has urged those heading to the seaside to keep to beaches with lifeguards. The threat comes as forecasters say Britain will bake for the whole of July as the fine weather shows no sign of ending.

The nation faces a month-long hot blast with weeks of higher-than-average temperatures in what could be the longest heatwave since 1976.

The Met Office’s long-range outlook predicts a “good deal of dry and settled weather across most parts of the UK in the second half of July with very warm or hot temperatures likely at times”.

Last week was the first time since 2013 that all four UK nations have seen temperatures of 86F or above, the Met Office said.

June is also on course to be among the top five driest months since records began in 1910, drawing comparisons with the summer of 1976, when temperatures hit at least 90F for 15 days in a row.

Last week, temperatures hit at least 86F on six out of seven days and this heatwave could last weeks. The Met Office said the mercury reached a sweltering 90F yesterday in Gosport, Hampshire, compared with average temperatures of 62F in the North and 70F in the South.

UK water companies were last night “monitoring the situation closely” and regulator Ofwat is watching how firms respond.

The North-west’s United Utilities said record temperatures were setting new records for water consumption, with three million households and 200,000 businesses tapping into 110 million more gallons than usual.

Industry body Water UK said Britain was not facing a “drought” due to “above average rainfall” in the spring, but added: “During the current heatwave water companies are seeing extremely high levels of demand.

The 1976 United Kingdom heat wave led to the hottest summer in the UK since records began. At the same time, the country suffered a severe drought

Tanning herself in the drought that has brought water supply problems to Britain

Crews from the North and Midlands have travelled to Greater Manchester to help control fires that have destroyed at least 5,000 acres of moorland in the past week.

Yesterday, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said arsonists had struck near Chorley as helicopters were dropping water.

Brigade group chief Tony Crook said: “It absolutely astounds me,” warning the firebugs: “You will get caught and you will get dealt with.”

Lancashire and Greater Manchester fire services urged drone users to stay away from the moors after they were spotted in both areas.

The Lancashire brigade tweeted: “If you have a drone, please DO NOT fly it over Winter Hill. “There are helicopters flying in the area to extinguish the fire and the drones are putting firefighters’ and pilots’ lives at risk.”

Fire brigades from across the country were drafted in to help tackle the crisis and motorists and pedestrians were urged to keep away as wind fanned the flames.

A man called out the coastguard for his sunburn (Image: GETTY IMAGES)

Chopper scrambled for sunburn man

RESCUERS were furious with a hiker who dialled 999 and got a coastguard helicopter out, even though he only had sunburn.

He then made matters worse by carrying on walking down Ben Nevis while failing cancel his distress call. The man and a pal were half way down when they rang on Saturday, initially claiming one had heatstroke and the other a knee injury.

Lochaber Mountain Rescue requested the Inverness Coastguard search and rescue helicopter to airlift the pair. Team leader John Stevenson said: “It is a waste of time and resources.

“All of a sudden they were well enough to walk on their own. But they didn’t tell anybody. We only found out when we called them back. The police had a stern word.”